Before Sunrise
by Starian Princess
Summary: To entertain men was her life, it had never been a problem. But when a mysterious ninja enters their tea house amidst the storm outside, she can't help but be drawn to him in a way she can't understand. YukimuraxYuya and some slight KyoxYuya
1. Chapter 1

**Before Sunrise  
****By Starian Princess**

_To entertain men was her life; it had never been a problem. After a night of outrageously wild flirting and carefully planned maneuvering, she could always easily discard a man as if they had never met to begin with. But when a mysterious ninja enters their tea house amidst the frightening storm outside, she can't help but be drawn to him in a way she can't understand._

Chapter 1

Intricate designs danced in their eyes, their heads following every movement she made; from the way she held her fan to the way she playfully batted her lashes in their direction. It was an art,_ her_ art- her element and thus, her expertise. She smiled in amusement as one man got up and tried to woo her. Well, she'd have none of that. It was her game; therefore her rules. No one got the better of her, no one. No man had ever succeeded and no man would ever be able to succeed; that was the way she played.

"Yuya, the men in the red room have requested for you." She discreetly nodded towards the mistress; bowing automatically to the audience she had been entertaining. They were bedazzled to say the least, their cheeks flushing at her beauty and their eyes still following her even as she left the room. They were nothing; a mere warm-up for the big shots she would be performing for tonight. They meant nothing, not that anyone ever did. She had no attachments, no feelings for any man. This was her world- her passion, her pleasure. Nothing else could compare to this. It was her life; the life of a _geisha_- to make men swoon, to make men beg for her. And she would refuse. That was how it always went.

Her emerald eyes gleamed. The mistress had informed her that these men would pay extra if they found her to their liking; they might even come back every night after. This meant more money for their tea house and she was more than determined to do her very best. She would make them fall, make them want her, make them come back again and again for more. And she would pay them no heed. It wasn't her job to dedicate herself to one; it was her job to dedicate herself to all. She wasn't a prostitute, she was an entertainer. But men failed to realize that and it made her blood boil. She would teach them, she would make them follow her like little lost puppies; make them want to take her in their arms, make them feel like they could take her away from all this. But she would never actually allow anyone that pleasure- that satisfaction.

"Our best geisha has arrived, gentlemen. This is Yuya." She bowed graciously to them after the mistress had left. This was her cue, the signal for her to start her show. She lifted her eyes to gaze shyly at them; the oldest trick in the book- to make them think that she was timid and later surprise them with her boldness. Men liked that, she'd learned.

When the one sitting in the center smirked, the desire already flaming in his eyes, she took this as a sign to move. She then informed them that she would begin with a dance, which none had objected to. Already she was weaving her magic, tangling them in her web of illusions.

Another geisha had been asked to accompany her and within seconds was playing an enchanting tune with a grass flute. She felt the beat and rhythm pulse through her, the waves of sound coursing through her entire being. And with that she took flight.

Gathering the trail of her kimono, she whipped her sash and raised her leg in swift, poised movements. This was how she got their attention to focus on her, only her and no one else. She walked in graceful steps towards the center of the room, catching a glimpse of how every eye was on her. She liked the feeling; she had drawn them in and they didn't realize it yet but there was no escape.

She used her fan next, twirling it around her finger, throwing it up then catching it. The movements allowed her kimono to shift ever slightly, pulling the neck downwards and effectively displaying a peek of her ample chest. No one could have suspected, but they were all very much in awe as it was.

After another few series of tricks her dance ended and she bowed again, this time catching one of the younger men's eyes and purposely winking at him. He got the message. It had seemed that he was the one enjoying her performance the most- as he had been gaping all the while-, and this was his humble reward.

"That was exquisite, Miss Yuya. I've never seen someone so enchanting." The man beside him- probably his older brother (for she had noted the similarities in their faces) gestured to the empty seat beside him. He obviously wanted to speak with her more, and she decided that she would humor him.

"Thank you." It was always practical to acknowledge any comments that were given to her. She gracefully planted herself to his right, discreetly inching a bit closer to his younger brother, who could not stop staring. She found it both amusing and annoying, but she did this to keep her fair distance from the man she had now dubbed "a leech".

"Kenta, don't drool. It's not a very pleasant way to be treating our lovely new friend." She would have blushed at the compliment had she not noticed the manner in which he addressed her. The way he raked his eyes over her made it seem like he thought her a piece of meat. She bit back a scowl; it was just like a man to act as if she were nothing more than an object. The younger brother, Kenta as stated, was the one to blush for he had caught on to his brother's bold insinuation. It dawned her then, that they had probably visited some other tea houses before getting there and had evidently tried the same tactic to, no doubt, reel in an unsuspecting geisha- probably those who were still novices and thus, still didn't know when they were being played right into bed. It was disgusting.

The night flew on as she inwardly forced herself to put up with Kaji, the older brother's mad flirting. Kenta had tried time and time again to have some conversation with her but Kaji, who had drank almost three bottles of sake already, wouldn't let her attention stray for too long. He was most aggressive and his drunken state led him to be even more lecherous than she perceived. It was already at the point where he was sneaking a hand to graze her thigh and she was doing everything to fight off the urge to slap him. How she wished she could leave already.

"Gentlemen, it is getting a tad late, don't you think? Yuya should be going to bed soon as she has an appointment tomorrow morning. Why don't you come back tomorrow night to see her?" She threw a thankful glance her mistress' way. The woman always knew the right time to intervene.

"Really?" She turned to Kaji, who was leaning on her as he drawled. "What is it that you have to do tomorrow?"

She answered crisply but doubted that Kaji would still have the senses to note her tone, "I have to go to the doctor for a check-up. You see, I slipped this morning on my way to the bathroom and I think I injured my leg."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Miss Yuya." She appreciatively smiled at Kenta who by then had caught on as well, and was pulling his brother off her.

"If you want, I'll walk you both out." The young man blushed at her sweet tone and nodded as they all got up to leave the room.

"Where did everyone else go?" Kaji was leaning on his brother's shoulder and was asking all sorts of questions.

"They left already, big brother. We'll be meeting back here again tomorrow." Kenta nodded to her then to the mistress, silently thanking them for the night and disappeared down the street.

"That one seems to like you." The elderly woman turned to her and grinned, as she smiled back innocently.

"I think I'm rather fond of him too. I understand this means we'll be seeing more of them now, won't we?"

"Yes, we will. And once again, Yuya, you have successfully gotten us new clients. Those two are the sons of a general in the war. Their coming here frequently will bring us very much praise."

"I'm glad to hear that." She turned to stare up at the sky. It looked darker than usual. Perhaps a storm was coming. She stopped at the thought. A storm? Surely, they couldn't be getting one so suddenly and it had been bright and sunny this morning. No, a storm was too much of a misfortune on such a lucky day.

And as she and the mistress walked in, they were oblivious to the howling sounds resonating through the mountains. Her prediction of a storm bode more true than imagined in fact. But on the contrary, it would not bring misfortune. No, this storm would bring an adventure.

* * *

He cursed under his breath, his normally cheery blue eyes squinting in the darkness. When would he get there? The town was supposed to have been less than half a day's walk from his compound, or so his subordinates had told him. Another branch snagged at his side and he frowned. It was already well passed dinnertime. Would there be a nice _dango_ stand still open when he got there? Surely not. He hadn't planned on spending a night in that town but with the way things had progressed, it certainly seemed like he would be forced to lodge at a local brothel. That thought brought a small smile on. A brothel meant women. And women were the one thing that rivaled his intense love for sake.

After a few more minutes of trudging in the dark, he found himself on a dirt road and he could finally see lights glimmering in the distance. He had finally found the town. But before he could ever so much as rejoice at the thought, a loud booming sound echoed around him. Oh _great._ Luck evidently wasn't on his side tonight.

* * *

"Get the laundry from the yard, Yuya. We can still probably save a few of them." The tea house was in something less of an uproar.

"Yes, ma'am." She ran through the rooms, the paper-thin walls clapping behind her. Even in her frenzied state, she never forgot her manners and this meant not leaving the doors open. She was beginning to regret this though, as she hurriedly pulled the numerous fabrics off the clothesline. Since she had left the doors closed, there was very little light and the rain wasn't helping very much either.

"I should never have thought up the possibility of the storm in the first place. It's bad luck!" She cursed and gritted her teeth as she ran back and forth, placing the salvaged cloths on the railing. She then surveyed the rest of the blankets and tablecloths. They were all soaked and way passed redemption; this meant that she would have to do them all over again tomorrow.

"Don't come in through here anymore, you're far too wet and you'll get the floors wet too. Pass through the entrance and dry yourself off, alright?"

She nodded in answer to the mistress and ran as fast as she could to the other side of the house, the rain seeping through her kimono as the storm grew stronger. She sighed. It was cold and she felt like a drenched cat. She really had nothing against the rain but this kimono was a new one, she had gotten it just the other day from one of her admirers. She smiled at the thought. When you were a pretty well-known _geisha _in the district, you were bound to be presented with a gift every other day from one of your clients. She, in particular, liked receiving kimonos.

Too submerged in her own thoughts though, she failed to notice a dark figure looming right outside the tea house.

She let out a small scream- more out of surprise rather than fright- when she bumped into a broad chest, accidentally letting all the cloths fly out of her arms as well. Everything fell to the ground with a thud but she was fortunate enough to have landed on one of the thicker blankets, effectively cushioning her fall.

The rain, if possible, grew stronger again and what little pain she felt was forgotten when a strong wind blew through the street. It was getting colder by the second! She quickly scrambled up and drew everything into her arms, caring little if some were ruined due to the mud. She turned to the person she had knocked into and without a second thought, pulled the unsuspecting victim in as well.

When they were finally through the front door, she let out a relieved sigh. She ran a hand through her ruined hair and let her ribbon fall to the side.

After she finally caught her breath, she then apologized automatically without looking to her companion, "I'm so sorry for that but you really shouldn't have been standing out there like that either. Don't worry; I can lend you some garments. For the moment though, you better dry off with one of the towels."

She finally opened her eyes, turned to her side… and gasped.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing. He was by far the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. Dark raven hair, twinkling sky-blue eyes, and a charming smile; he was smiling for heaven's sake! Although he looked completely drenched, his golden attire hugged his form just right displaying perfectly toned muscles and no excess fat whatsoever. He was… beautiful; more beautiful than anyone else. Was he even actually a man?

"Yuya? Are you alright?" She broke out of her trance and turned in attention to her mistress, peering at her worriedly.

"I-I'm fine, ma'am. But he- this man is…"

"I'm fine too. No harm done." His voice was like rich velvet; not too deep and certainly not too high. It was perfect, just like everything else. She flushed. She'd never had thoughts like that for anyone before. This was confusing. Maybe she had had a little too much to drink earlier after all.

"Well, that's good to hear. Sir, here, you should dry yourself with this." She watched as the mistress gave him a fresh towel, and was all the more mesmerized when he smiled in gratitude. She couldn't help the blush that grew on her cheeks, when he then turned to stare at her and flashed the same accommodating smile. Yes, that's what it was. Accommodating. It was peaceful… something you could fall in lo- wait! Now, that was going too far!

She shook her head and reached for the towel next to her and dried herself off as well. For a moment there, she had completely forgotten who she was. That couldn't happen ever again. She was a _geisha_- one of the best in the district, Shiina Yuya. No man had ever conquered her and no man ever would.

"It's good to know that you're alright, sir. I do apologize again for knocking you over." Her voice was even, just like it should be. She could almost convince herself that she had never sputtered or stared earlier.

"It's no problem at all. I certainly wouldn't mind being knocked over again, as long as it's a pretty girl like you who I've bumped into." She laughed pleasantly. This man was a charmer like many others she'd met. How typical.

"Thank you for the compliment. I feel I must introduce myself." She turned to him again and let her eyes meet his. By doing this, she had always been able to draw a man in, no matter who he was. "My name is Yuya. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Yukimura. The pleasure's all mine, Yuya." He didn't even stop-dead. She was most definitely surprised; this man would be a bit difficult but in time, she mused, she would win him over.

Unknown to her though, the most similar of thoughts were traveling through his head as well.

**-TBC-**


	2. Chapter 2

**Before Sunrise  
By Starian Princess**

Chapter 2

Sanada Yukimura watched in amusement as the girl, who had called herself Yuya, piled all up her salvaged cloths on one side of the entryway. She seemed pleasant enough. Her hair looked to be the color of grains right before harvest time and her eyes appeared the color of the sea. He had met many with the same attributes, he shrugged. What he was looking for tonight though, was a woman who could satisfy him- one who was experienced and one who could take a hint. This one was but a girl. And after letting his eyes casually roam about, he concluded that this was not at all a brothel. No, it looked more like an old-fashioned tea house to be exact. It was one of those places where one felt like meeting up with people, chatting like there was no tomorrow, and evidently drinking the night away. It had a homey appeal, like he was back at his compound with his faithful followers around him. For years, those people- his subordinates had been more like family to him rather than anything else.

He was a lone survivor, the last of the Sanada clan with nothing short of an expertise in sword fighting, archery, and being a well-trained ninja. He had lived through a war, made some allies and even more adversaries. At the moment, he was a ninja for hire; one who chose whom he served and to whom he pledged loyalty to. And in fact his reason for being in this town was to locate a certain person one of his clients was searching for.

He hoped he'd find the man soon enough, for he was anxious to get back to his base. Life had always been some sort of adventure to him, but now, all he wanted to do was lie down and take a rest for a moment. Circumstances wouldn't permit such carefree thought though. A friend of his, Benitora, had once said that life was meant to be enjoyed not ignored. One shouldn't let life simply pass by without a second glance.

'Very much like a woman,' he mused and turned once more to his companion. The mistress of the tea house had approached them again with a small lantern and left it propped against the wooden floor; he thought he could probably get a better view of his unlikely savior then.

In a moment, his composed sky-blue eyes widened a fraction, taking in the beauty he hadn't noticed before. Long shimmering hair trailed down her shoulder, a red ribbon left dangling on the side. He had been gravely mistaken. Her hair wasn't the color of grains, no; it was the color of molten gold. Her eyes, on the other hand, were a different story altogether. He had also been fooled. What he had thought of as the color of the sea was actually the shade of lush grass newly watered in the summertime. He breathed in, trying to calm his raising heartbeat. It was the first time he had felt such excitement, simply gazing at a woman.

He carefully retracted to what little conversation they had had earlier, and he almost let out a sigh in relief. He hadn't really said anything that would have seemed like he wasn't interested in the least. On the contrary, the charmer inside of him had answered with as much prowess that she would have labeled him a player by now. She hadn't been deterred though, for which he was glad. And she had replied to his flirtatious persona with an equally self-possessed rhythm.

'Ah, perhaps she is an expert as well,' he thought in delight. Their game would be a lot more enjoyable then. In time, he mused, he would be able to catch her at her own ploy.

He was glad that he had thought of his friend's advice earlier. Women, true to the saying, had to be carefully examined and left to be noticed a second time; just as life was to be passed with a second glance.

* * *

"It seems as though Sanada has reached the village earlier than expected." Crimson eyes moved to regard the town in contemplative silence. From the rumors, in fact, it appeared that the ninja was already lounging about somewhere ready to take him in when necessary.

"We'll have to be ready then, Akira." He smirked, drawing his katana out of its sheath and letting it glimmer in the morning sunlight. Muramasa's work was said to be the best, and he couldn't wait until he had the opportunity to try it out on the world-renowned Sanada Yukimura- the last of the Sanada ninja clan.

"I still don't see why we can't just attack now. It would be easy to find him." Yes, it would be easy but it wasn't part of who he was to fight aimlessly. No, they'd let their prey come to them when the time was right.

"Have a little more patience, Hotaru. We need to keep the game as fun as possible."

* * *

Where was he? Yuya frowned, searching the passers-by for a familiar head of raven-black and kind blue eyes. He was hard to miss, a flower- in her opinion- walking along in a dry desert. Not only because of his magnificent appearance, but also because of his diverse garb, he stood out like a swan among geese. She blushed slightly, recalling his open smile. It seemed to look right through her, and even though she had been wearing a rather thick kimono (however drenched it was), she had felt completely naked.

"Yuya?" She almost whirled around in a frenzy, hearing his voice coming from behind her.

"Yukimura," she bowed, trying to get a hold of herself. The only reason why she was feeling so… unlike her usual self was because she wanted him to desire her and she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. It had always been her routine after all.

"I'm glad you could make it." She smiled, tilting her head up again to meet his eyes. She suppressed her hurried breathing and moved to slide the door open, motioning that he follow her inside.

"Mister Yukimura, I'm glad you could make time to see us again." It appeared that even the mistress, Kinu, had waited in anticipation for their scheduled guest as well. She _had _been the one to invite him, of course, after he had so graciously offered to help them take the rest of the clothes off the line. The rain had gone on for hours, leaving them almost virtually helpless. And he had been their knight in shining armor, or so as Kinu had placed it. So she had happily invited him over for some afternoon tea, after he had taken care of whatever business he was there for.

"I would never turn down such an offer, ma'am." He simply smiled in return, keeping his eyes on Yuya's form as the woman hurried along behind her mistress, and evidently directly in front of him. He took the time to observe her reserved yet graceful movements as she seemed to flow about, perhaps gliding atop some sort of invisible cloud.

She was a temptress, he concluded, as he watched the sway of her hips. She made it so unnoticeable yet unbelievably alluring at the same time. Her golden tresses seemed much brighter in the daytime and he remembered how beautiful they looked even from a distance. Right away, he could tell it was her. And today, she appeared much more enticing than he imagined. Her kimono was cut low at the back, inevitably displaying her pale skin. She was practically flawless. And her eyes, oh her eyes, they were magically painted like emeralds. In addition to that, she wore a bit of make-up which only proved to heighten her beauty all the more. He found that he preferred her with as little as possible for hers was splendor anyone could appreciate without artificial means.

He then found himself wondering what on earth such an amazing creature did for a living. She seemed close enough to Kinu, so she must be at least some sort of relative, perhaps one those high-class merchants. But she looked like something else, something he couldn't put his finger on just yet…

"I hope you find this to your liking." Kinu nodded and opened the doors, the room immediately coming to life on its own. It was a warm-looking space, decorated with plants and a vast number of cushions.

'A summer getaway.' He smiled, taking in its appearance. Yuya's apparel seemed to match even. Her kimono was a nice sunset orange with some yellow flower patterns all around. Her red ribbon was securely wrapped around in her hair, allowing the strands to fall down the length of her back.

"Why don't the two of you wait here, while I go get the tea? Yuya, you know what to do." After the brief instructions, Yuya nodded automatically and motioned that Yukimura enter before her.

"Ladies first," he caught her hand at the last moment and tried to push her first gently.

"It's a custom that the guest enters first, Yukimura." She replied, seemingly indifferent and pulled her hand from his grasp. Inside though, she felt the touch vibrate all over her body and couldn't help the blush on her cheeks. She prayed that he wouldn't notice.

Yukimura didn't say anything after her statement and simply nodded, going ahead with the whole thing. He sat himself near the stage on the other side of the room, and Yuya sat down on his left, lifting her kimono slightly to get a comfortable position.

"So, Yuya, what sort of entertainment am I going to be experiencing today?" The ninja tried to make conversation, feeling the tension in the room after a few silent seconds.

"Whatever sort you wish to see." Her smile was full of mysteries, like she knew a deep dark secret she wouldn't be telling him any time soon. He felt like he had lost himself in that smile and unconsciously moved a hand to graze her lap.

The touch was barely noticeable but Yuya felt like the room had become so much warmer than it actually was. Another funny thing was that she hadn't felt particularly disturbed. When men made passes at her, however subtle they were, she would usually immediately back away without fail. But when this man touched her, she felt herself come alive. It wasn't unpleasant at all, like it was supposed to happen. But these conflicting emotions were what bothered her the most then.

Luckily, she was saved from having to answer him when Kinu came into the room with two other geisha she recognized. She stood up in routine and took her place on the stage.

Yukimura, having witnessed the whole preparation, watched in interest as one geisha brought out her flute and the other moved to take the tea tray from Kinu. It seemed that Yuya was an entertainer of some sort, perhaps a singer.

"This is Moeko and she'll be in charge of serving your tea, Mister Yukimura. And that is Akemi, playing the flute." Kinu had started with her introductions and he had to force himself from keeping his eyes on the green-eyed beauty, who had started speaking in hushed whispers to the other girl on her right.

"As you know, that is Yuya and she will be your entertainment tonight." The mistress finished, proudly looking on at the woman on the other side of the room. She seemed to take so much pride in the girl that Yukimura couldn't help but inquire.

"So I take it that Yuya will be singing for us?" He tried to keep his tone light, as if he was meant to ask out of respect but in truth, he was deeply curious. True, Yuya appeared to possess the voice of an angel but singing couldn't be her forte, now could it? He'd felt that there was something more to this.

"She can do more than that, Mister Yukimura. Yuya can sing, dance and perform all sorts of tricks for us. She is this district's best geisha after all."

Yuya heard the deep praise Kinu had meant for her and smiled in answer. The woman had so much faith in her, she'd never let her down. Although Yukimura moved her in ways she could only imagine, she resolved to make this one of her best performances. She refused to let a man affect her to the point of keeping her from something she lived for. She'd show him. She'd make him see there was more to her than met the eye and she **would** make him want her.

She took the fan Akemi was holding out to her and closed her eyes, visioning the dance she would be portraying. In a few seconds, she had one picked out and set out to do her work. Gracefully, she lifting her hand and propped it against her head while the other stayed at her side, poised out with the fan slightly opened. She moved her leg to let the trail behind her kimono rest on one side and flashed a bit of skin on the other.

And nodding discreetly to apprentice beside her, the music starting to flow through the room, she began her dance.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure Yukimura is here already. I can sense his aura from a mile away." Saizo looked down to regard his companion with mixed sentiment. **He **was Sanada Yukimura's right hand man, not this little shinobi. Hell would freeze over before he'd allow the shrimp the pleasure of locating their master first.

"It's not like I didn't already know that. Now, come on." He moved a hand to push the boy ahead of him as he scanned the town. Yukimura's aura was strong, of course, but it would probably take a few hours before they would be able to locate him. Knowing the man, he was probably enjoying himself at some local brothel. Women and sake; that was where Yukimura's heart and mind were most of the time.

He sighed. He wished they could be back at the compound within the day but at the rate this mission was going, they'd be lucky to be back within the week.

**-TBC-**


End file.
